Fork andles American style

[Cabinetman]

We were on our travels recently and were in a town called Mooresville in Nth Carolina, came across this Hardware shop that proudly claimed to have been there for over 100 years, tbh I found it a bit sad, it didn’t have much stock for sale and the majority of the contents were just old stuff for effect.
What was interesting was the pair of steps, one on each side of the room, I could imagine back in the day brown coated assistants scurrying up them to bring down the goods for sale.
I realised afterwards that the pic I should have got was of the now disused sharpening dept.

 

[Mike G]

I like how the floorboards aren't parallel with the wall, and the groove from the wheels of the ladder is very clear. It looks like a bit of a tourist trap, rather than a working shop.

 

[Blackswanwood]

I love those old shops Ian. We passed through a few small towns on the trip down from Memphis to New Orleans last month and spotted a couple which seemed to be faring better than this one.

 

[AJB Temple]

Very cool.

 

[Cabinetman]

I like how the floorboards aren't parallel with the wall, and the groove from the wheels of the ladder is very clear. It looks like a bit of a tourist trap, rather than a working shop.

Yes I hadn’t noticed that, deliberate? So that the wheels didn’t follow the joints- no I doubt it too.
Well yes you’re right about the tourist thing but with very little for sale I can’t see it lasting long.

I love those old shops Ian. We passed through a few small towns on the trip down from Memphis to New Orleans last month and spotted a couple which seemed to be faring better than this one.

we were on our long way round to home from Nashville where Pam had been to a convention, and it was extra long because Asheville had virtually been wiped off the map in the Hurricane a week earlier and “motorways” had been decommissioned- till Sept next year. It was bad.

 

[Steve Maskery]

There used to be a traditional toolshop in Nottingham called Hopkinson's. It was alongside the canal, complete with loading jib, 3 floors. Mahogany counter, a million drawers, sliding ladders, gentlemen in clean brown coats.
It was wonderful.
The guy who owned it sold up, retired and spent the rest of his life sailing the Med. Who can blame him?
The new owners, "Acme Tool Corp" or some such, ripped everything out to the bare walls. It was a massive attack of vandalism. The place should have been Listed.
After not very long, a few months, a year or two at the most, ACME moved to an industrial facility out of town.
I don't know what happened to the building after that, but all that architectural/industrial heritage was destroyed in one fell swoop.
Very sad.
S

 

[duke]

Great pics Ian, on our lake many years ago there was a general store similar to the one you have shown. Had everything you needed, and as kids it was an event to go to Johnston's General Store.
Thanks for posting as it brought back memories.

 

[Artiglio]

Used to be a place in Ramsgate, started in around 1900 as an iron and brass founder, ( the name will live for many years on the drain and stopcock covers around the town) which at some point came a very odd hardware emporium run by the sons of the chap who started it all. Proper Brown coats and seemingly had stock from 1900 and before, they’d sell you a quater inch of copper pipe , 1 washer, a 11ba brass cheesehead and a 7/32 whitworth nut. All of which they’d know the exact location.They’d identify a thread and pitch at 20 paces. You would always leave with a solution to your problem but rarely what you thought you’d gone in for. Pricing was seemingly a random dark art largely centred on customer attitude. Always busy but seemed to actually sell little , yard outside full of old cars with trees growing through them, company i worked for used them late 80’s early 90’s. It closed when the brothers finally passed. The yard and buildings sat gently decaying for many years, finally sold around 3 years ago. At the time as the green as grass new boy, it was like being sent for a large can of elbow grease, being interrogated by the “league of gentleman” and emerging with snake oil made by Gandalfs fair hand. Quite disturbing at times, looking back it was a wondrous place i shouldmhave found more excuses to use.

 

[Cabinetman]

Used to be a place in Ramsgate, started in around 1900 as an iron and brass founder, ( the name will live for many years on the drain and stopcock covers around the town) which at some point came a very odd hardware emporium run by the sons of the chap who started it all. Proper Brown coats and seemingly had stock from 1900 and before, they’d sell you a quater inch of copper pipe , 1 washer, a 11ba brass cheesehead and a 7/32 whitworth nut. All of which they’d know the exact location.They’d identify a thread and pitch at 20 paces. You would always leave with a solution to your problem but rarely what you thought you’d gone in for. Pricing was seemingly a random dark art largely centred on customer attitude. Always busy but seemed to actually sell little , yard outside full of old cars with trees growing through them, company i worked for used them late 80’s early 90’s. It closed when the brothers finally passed. The yard and buildings sat gently decaying for many years, finally sold around 3 years ago. At the time as the green as grass new boy, it was like being sent for a large can of elbow grease, being interrogated by the “league of gentleman” and emerging with snake oil made by Gandalfs fair hand. Quite disturbing at times, looking back it was a wondrous place i shouldmhave found more excuses to use.

Thank you for a wonderful description. I can almost smell it!

 

[wallace]

We have a place called Defty's whilst not victorian has been there for about 70years and fits the fork handle feel. I use them as much as I can and find them cheaper than the sheds. The owner was telling me once that they used to be agents for myford and have some new old stock burried away somewhere.

 

[AndyP]

So what did you buy in this emporium Ian?

As for elbow grease. I haven’t heard that expression for a while. I thought perhaps it was only my father that new the formula .

 

[Pete Maddex]

There used to be a traditional toolshop in Nottingham called Hopkinson's. It was alongside the canal, complete with loading jib, 3 floors. Mahogany counter, a million drawers, sliding ladders, gentlemen in clean brown coats.
It was wonderful.
The guy who owned it sold up, retired and spent the rest of his life sailing the Med. Who can blame him?
The new owners, "Acme Tool Corp" or some such, ripped everything out to the bare walls. It was a massive attack of vandalism. The place should have been Listed.
After not very long, a few months, a year or two at the most, ACME moved to an industrial facility out of town.
I don't know what happened to the building after that, but all that architectural/industrial heritage was destroyed in one fell swoop.
Very sad.
S

Turned into a bar at one point called Hopkinsons, but the name still does exist.

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Pete

 

[Woodbloke]

So what did you buy in this emporium Ian?

As for elbow grease. I haven’t heard that expression for a while. I thought perhaps it was only my father that new the formula .

Box of sparks maybe? - Rob

 

[Cabinetman]

So what did you buy in this emporium Ian?

As for elbow grease. I haven’t heard that expression for a while. I thought perhaps it was only my father that new the formula .

Well nothing actually, the weight was too long.
I’ll get my coat lol.